Aboriginal presence, archaeology and public park on Île Sainte-Hélène

On April 14, the Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau unveiled its new conservation, planning and development master plan. The plan proposes, among other things, the restoration of Place des Nations, the famous and sculptural entrance to Expo 67, and, on Île Notre-Dame, the redevelopment of Katimavik, the former site of the Théâtre des Lilas, and the reinstatement of the navigable canal system. There are also plans to reconfigure the traffic around Place des Nations and to green the nearby riverbanks to create physical and visual links with the river. All of this promises a great "walkability" experience for visitors, including a waterfront path and new pedestrian bridges.  

But did you know that the island of Saint Helena, which is often associated with the 1967 World's Fair, was occupied as early as the 13th century? For this new article, and in anticipation of our Urban exchange For this new article, and in anticipation of our May 5 theme: "Aboriginal Montreal: Dream or Reality? "we have chosen to talk about the Aboriginal presence on St. Helen's Island. 

Occupation of St. Helen's Island  

Between 1200 and 1600 AD, Aboriginal peoples (notably those whom archaeologists and historians call the St. Lawrence Iroquoians) travelled the St. Lawrence River between Lake Ontario and the estuary and found various natural resources, notably in the Hochelaga archipelago and on the island of Montreal, where some were visited by Jacques Cartier in 1535. These Aboriginal occupants then abandoned the river sector, although the exact origin of their departure is not known to this day. The Europeans who then surveyed the region in the 16th and 17th centuries did not come across them again.  

In 1611, Samuel de Champlain named the island in honour of his wife, Hélène Boullé. Subsequently, the island was granted to Charles Lemoyne in 1665 and attached to his seigneury of Longueuil. For a long time, the island served as a summer residence for the Lemoyne family, who finally gave it to the British government in 1818. The army immediately undertook the construction of facilities including the present fort and powder magazines as part of a vast plan to protect the river from a possible American attack.  

In 1874, the army withdrew and the Canadian government authorized the City of Montreal to use the island as a municipal public park. In 1931, Montreal undertook to develop the site according to a master plan drawn up by landscape architect Frederick G. Todd, who had also worked on Mount Royal Park. Although the economic crisis hampered the implementation of the plan as a whole, some elements were carried out as part of the major public works program launched to help the unemployed, notably the Pavillon des baigneurs. 

The Second World War once again interrupted work, and the island was requisitioned for use as a place of detention. At the end of the war, Ville de Montréal regained possession of the island, and development continued in 1949. The island was subsequently enlarged and transformed for Expo 67 - Terre des Hommes; a large number of buildings and infrastructures were constructed, many of which still stand today.  

The immense global success of Expo 67, a memorable event, and the civic uses of the park have overshadowed the earlier periods of this exceptional place, especially the Aboriginal presence.   

Archaeology reveals an Aboriginal presence that predates the arrival of Europeans by several centuries 

In 2001, the firm Ethnoscop was commissioned by Ville de Montréal to carry out archaeological digs on Île Sainte-Hélène in order to document the island's military period and its occupation by aboriginal peoples.  

The archaeologists studied two sites: the Pavilion site (BjFj-129), near the aquatic complex, and the Rose Garden site (BjFj-128), near the Hélène-de-Champlain restaurant.  

The Pavilion site shows signs of occupation dating back to the 13th century, when the Aboriginal people known to experts as the St. Lawrence Iroquoians occupied the Montreal area. More than 80 artifacts were found during the 2004 digs, including ceramics, a tool (possibly an axe) and bones of unknown origin. Unfortunately, additional excavations would be difficult to plan at this site, as the "archaeological fabric" has been damaged by human intervention or is not accessible today (due to trees or trails, for example). 

The purpose of the 2004 intervention was to establish the extent and intensity of the occupation of this site and to articulate these data with contemporary sites in the region, particularly those located across the street in Old Montréal.  

Ethnoscop. Inventaire archéologique au site militaire de l'île Sainte-Hélène, BjFj-84 et occupations préhistoriques, BjFj-128 et BjFj-129, Montréal, 2004, Report provided by the McCord Museum, and produced by Ethnoscop for Ville de Montréal and Parc Jean-Drapeau. 

Archaeological research has also confirmed that the Rose Garden area shows evidence of prehistoric human occupation. More than 200 artifacts were discovered, including ceramic shards, tools and bones of unknown origin. The ceramic pieces are probably shards of a vase made by the St. Lawrence Iroquoians (artifacts in photo). (artifacts in photo 7). Traces of a fireplace have also been discovered. All of this would date from the 15th to 17th centuries. 

Excavations to be continued 

These excavations did not enable us to determine the exact nature of the site; for example, whether it was a temporary or more permanent settlement. Further excavations, probably extending over a wider area, may reveal more. The recently unveiled master plan for Parc Jean-Drapeau indicates a desire to continue excavations by 2030, which is consistent with the designation of Île Sainte-Hélène as a heritage site by Ville de Montréal.

According to Ville de Montréal 's Heritage Division, which is also in charge of archaeology, these excavations and the resulting analyses will be taken into account when planning future works in the targeted areas. Depending on the nature of the work to be carried out and the archaeological potential, further archaeological work is likely to be carried out in the coming years.

Beyond the excavations themselves, it would be interesting to disseminate the results of the analyses so that the public can learn about this whole part of the history of a place that many people think they know. Indeed, although the excavations were carried out between 2001 and 2004, little documentation is currently available to the general public. A few artifacts have been exhibited at the Stewart Museum, but the majority are stored at the Ville de Montréal archaeological dig reserve. To date, there are no known plans to develop the site, or even to mount a temporary exhibition. 

Elsewhere in Montréal, some Aboriginal objects found during digs can be seen at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum. Since 2017, the museum has been offering visitors the chance to discover the remains of Fort Ville-Marie, found between 2002 and 2015, under the glass floor of the Fort Ville-Marie - Québecor Pavilion. Traces of an Aboriginal home that predates the founding of Montréal have also been uncovered, as well as objects that bear witness to "relations between the French and several nations, mainly the Algonquins, Hurons and Iroquois. Finally, archaeological digs carried out in 1996 and 1997 under the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel uncovered traces of Aboriginal campsites.  

To learn more about archaeology in Montréal, consult the book Lights Under the City: When Archaeology Tells the Story of Montréal published in 2017. 

We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday, May 5, to discuss with our guest experts: 

• Philippe Tsaronséré Meilleur, Executive Director, Montréal Autochtone 
• Christian Gates St-Pierre, Assistant Professor, Université de Montréal 
• Maya Cousineau Mollen, Innu Nation, First Nations and Inuit Community Development Advisor, EVOQ 

Click here to register or follow the conference on Facebook live! The video will also be available online after the broadcast (link coming soon). 

Sources :  

• Ethnoscop. Inventaire archéologique au site militaire de l'île Sainte-Hélène, BjFj-84 et occupations préhistoriques, BjFj-128 et BjFj-129, Montréal, 2004, Report provided by the McCord Museum, and produced by Ethnoscop for Ville de Montréal and Parc Jean-Drapeau.  
• St. Helen's Island Heritage Site - Heritage Value Analysis.  

Special thanks to François Vallée, Jonathan Lainey and Mathieu Lapointe of the McCord Museum, and to François C. Bélanger of Ville de Montréal.

Header image: Aerial view of Île Sainte-Hélène, Armour Landry, 1963, BANQ.